The authoritarian police state cannot possibly tolerate a faith [Xtianity] that preaches dissent from the regime’s one-party rule,” she said. “As the new President Xi Jinping re-asserted the Communist Party’s absolute rule and is reining in any potential threat, religious persecution of Christians and others (Tibetan Buddhism, Muslims in Xinjiang, Falun Gong, etc.) is likely to escalate.”

This is not really new news, but I wonder at the qualified 'Tibetan Buddhism'? Is Chinese Buddhism thus free to practice and preach? Or is it so closely watched and/or infiltrated that Chinese Buddhism in China is just a sham?

Glorious one, creator of all goodness, Mañjuśrī, his glorious eminence!Manjushri-namasamgiti

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

Will wrote: Or is it so closely watched and/or infiltrated that Chinese Buddhism in China is just a sham?

Very likely.

Your 'Very likely' is just a speculation, right? My guess would be the same, but I would like to hear from any Chinese Buddhism followers who know from 1st hand or have heard reliable testimony about the facts. Of course, they may endanger themselves when they share such facts publicly. So silence is 'very likely' too.

Glorious one, creator of all goodness, Mañjuśrī, his glorious eminence!Manjushri-namasamgiti

Will wrote: Or is it so closely watched and/or infiltrated that Chinese Buddhism in China is just a sham?

Very likely.

Your 'Very likely' is just a speculation, right? My guess would be the same, but I would like to hear from any Chinese Buddhism followers who know from 1st hand or have heard reliable testimony about the facts. Of course, they may endanger themselves when they share such facts publicly. So silence is 'very likely' too.

During the 90's, many Vietnamese temples, even in the US, were infiltrated by monastic spies from Vietnam. It became a real problem for them.

The fact is that monks in monasteries in China are little more than museum guards. Their standard of education in Dharma is very poor, and they are forced to spend a lot of time in political education classes. Tibetan Monasteries are also forced to waste time on political education classes. If you want high quality Chinese Dharma you must go to Taiwan.

The different sūtras in accord with the emptiness
taught by the Sugata are definitive in meaning;
One can understand that all of those Dharmas in
which a sentient being, individual, or person are taught are provisional in meaning.

hm...a native mainland Chinese, a Buddhist practitioner, and a student major in Buddhist Study here.

yes, that's true, the situation of Buddhism in China is not optimism, after the last 60 years. And the so-called education level of the Masters in China is not good, either.

However, these who claims there are no Buddhism in China, may already forgot what Buddhism is, the teaching and practice on dukkha and the release of dukkha. I thought, with the huge changes here and long history, people now in China deeply need the Darma Rain to ease and comfort them. It is just like Taiwan 20 years ago or France before Révolution.